1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for controlling episodes of bowel incontinence and more particularly to a probe equipped with an infrared sensor for use in detecting the presence of fecal mass in the rectum.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many bedridden patients have little or no control over bowel movements. Besides being very embarrassing to the patient, a very unpleasant task nursing personnel endure is disposing of fecal waste after a patient's incontinent episode and cleaning the patient after such event.
Other problems associated with an incontinent episode include the excoriation of the patient's skin and risk of fecal contamination for patients and nursing personnel. Economically, the replacement of soiled bed linens, blankets and gowns compound the loss of valuable nursing time and effort.
Prior art commonly used techniques of dealing with the problem include the occasional use of rectal tubes or the use of disposable pads to protect the bed linens, the patient's skin and the like. These techniques exhibit only marginal success and do nothing to prevent bowel incontinence, but rather seek to minimize the undesirable effects of an incontinent episode. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,494,393 discloses a device which may be inserted and removed from the bowel outlet to dam the passage of fecal material. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,634,443; 4,408,597; 4,587,954; 4,178,915; 3,750,194; 3,863,622; 4,386,601; 4,417,567; 4,419,985; and 4,222,377 disclose a surgically implantable device to circumscribe the bowel or urinary canal and which may be expanded and retracted to allow controlled passage of fecal material. U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,244 discloses a device to preclude premature expulsion of fluids given with an enemata and to enable a nurse to positively control rectal injections without the need for the nurse to be continuously present.